In fact, 18 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana use based on the public support. Colorado and Washington State approved even recreational use and it is supposed that many other states will proceed soon with new regulation about this subject.
From this new perspective of action, the federal government will continue to prevent the distribution of marijuana to minors, preventing at the same time the sales revenue from going to criminal enterprises. The relative liberty to use marijuana (if a state regulation becomes permissive) will be prohibited to be used as a pretext for trafficking other illegal drugs or for doing any illegal activities.
What happens now must not be a surprise. For more than 20 years, national polls have shown an increasing acceptance of marijuana use. A national Rasmussen Reports poll revealed that 56 percent of Americans want legal marijuana regulated like tobacco and alcohol.
Kevin Sabet, formerly with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said however that “This is not the end of the story… this is the beginning”, suggesting that a lot of aspects must be considered in the future about this.
